Multimillion rupee Boribandh racket of Modi government

Gujarati Version Press Note 13.11.09

OFFICE OF THE LEADER OF

OPPOSITION

Gujarat Vidhansabha, Gandhinagar.

Press Note:                                                                           13.11.2009

Multimillion rupee Boribandh racket of Modi government

Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Shaktisinh Gohil today exposed a multi million rupee racket in the Rural Employment Scheme. Gujarat Government made payments to fake dealer for material for Boribandh and contractors paid money to the workers on paper only.

In support of his allegations, Gohil produced before media documents he had obtained under the Right To Information Act from government itself. He said that the company which was said to have supplied the material for Boribandh did not exist. What is more, he said, the Sales Tax Number quoted in the bills of the fake companies was also fake. This was established by the information under the RTI he said.

Payment of crores of rupees was made to the villagers under the Rural Employment Scheme. But it was on paper only. Thumb impressions were on the receipt. But, inquiries revealed that all this was fabricated. For instance, a villager Labhuji Khodaji Thakore is shown to have received wages under the scheme. He is shown as illiterate and he has thumb impression on the receipt.

However, inquiries revealed that Labhuji was a literate person having studied upto eighth standard in Sanskardham Buniyadi Shala. Gohil showed affidavits of number of persons who said that they never got any employment under the scheme nor did they get any money.

Gohil said that under the scheme a register is to be maintained with details of the workers engaged in the scheme and attendance. But no such register is maintained. It all has been done with the blessings of the government.

Quoting Chief Minister Narendra Modi he said that he himself had claimed in August this year that one lakh boribandh were constructed. At a cost of Rs 10,000 per Boribandh, the scandal involved an amount of Rs 100 crore, Gohil said. There was no rain after that and so there is no possibility of boribandh being washed away.

Chief Minister Modi says that he does not siphon money nor does he allow anyone to take away government money. But this multimillion rupee scandal proves contrary, Gohil  said.

He has demanded a white paper on the Boribandh scheme and said that there should be a CBI inquiry into this.

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To

The Editor.

Hon’ble Leader of the Opposition has requested to publish the above Press Note in your esteemed Newspaper.

( J.J. Rasania)

Personal Assistant